Disclaimer: No authors of this work own or profit from Labyrinth or it's characters.

Sarah Williams pushed open the door to the darkened pub and stepped in.

The quiet conversations inside stopped for a few seconds as everyone turned to see who had come in. Seeing it was no one they knew, the dozen or so patrons scattered around the dim room went back to whatever they had been chatting about before the slam of the door had interrupted them.

Sarah had been on the go all day. On vacation as she was, she wanted to see everything she could. It had been her dream to see Ireland. Now after scrimping and saving for years, here she was.

At that moment, all she wanted a nice ale and to relax before continuing to her hotel to order room service and get a good night's rest.

It was the night before St. Patrick's Day. There would be a big celebration the next day. She was excited for whatever it would bring.

She sat at the bar and ordered a tall glass of the local hearty brew. The bartender sat the beer down and Sarah handed him a few bills, then swiveled to face the room.

She looked around casually as she sipped the strong drink.

The crowd was small, obviously local. The atmosphere rustic and full of that old Irish charm she had fallen in love with.

Except at one table, the place her attention became riveted to, as she felt an indescribable pull.

In the darkest corner, a man sat alone, dressed in all black. His back to the room.

For some reason, he piqued her interest.

When he turned slightly she could see he had beautiful, high cheekbones. He picked up his glass, filled with what Sarah assumed was whiskey, with a gloved hand and tipped his head back to drink. The light from over the bar hit his hair, it's silvery blond color glinted.

He paused mid drink, he must have felt her eyes upon him. As he sat his glass down and turned to look at her, she froze in shock.

She knew that face, those eyes.

He stood up quickly with a look of surprise as he stared at her.

Sarah thought to run but changed her mind instantly.

You're an adult now Sarah, and he has no power over you here, she thought.

She, instead, walked to him, beer in hand and smiled.

"Long time no see, Jareth. Can I buy you another?"

His expression changed to amusement and he smirked at her boldness. "Hello precious. Yes, you may. Shall we sit?"

Sarah ordered another round, and for the first time in over 15 years, she was face to face with The Goblin King.

Sarah looked him over, her green eyes bright in the dimly lit pub. He looked the same, yet somehow different. His hair was pulled back to appear 'tamer', but the intense gaze, aristocratic cheekbones and steeply arched eyebrows were still there.

Waving at the waitress, she smiled, "Bring him two of whatever he's having, and I'll have a Guinness...Glenfiddich chaser." The waitress smiled at the two of them, then wandered through the tables. Neither of them spoke for a long moment, each sizing up the other. Finally, Sarah decided to exert some of her power, "So... as trite as it may sound, what brings you here? I wouldn't think St. Patrick's Day festivities would be your thing."

The waitress returned with their drinks, and Jareth picked one of his up and paused. "Shall we?"

Sarah clinked her glass against his smaller one and they drank.

"Well? Sarah urged, waiting.

He took a deep breath and spoke." I come here once a year. While this is a great celebration for your people, it is a time of lament for mine. As you know, St. Patrick is honored in part for chasing the "snakes" out of these lands. Those "snakes," were really our people. Those who honored us, the old Gods. I come here to pay my respects to those long-forgotten souls. As the only Underground king to continue to have regular contact with humans, it is another of my duties. "

Sarah knew the history, but she had never thought much about the other side.

" I'm sorry. "

He smiled sadly." History is written by the victors, as they say here. "

Unthinking, Sarah reached out and squeezed his hand. When she went to pull back, his grip tightened to hold hers. "Thank you, Sarah, but I don't need your sympathy. Your company, on the other hand, is much welcomed."

Disquiet settled briefly inside her, unsure at the sudden 'peace' that seemed to come between them, a sense of easy camaraderie she never expected to feel around the Goblin King. "Still, I am sorry. Humans have committed all kinds of horrible acts in the name of various religions. "Giving his hand another squeeze, she scooped up a few pork scratchings from the bowl on the table. "Of course, there are some of us who haven't forgotten your kind. Even before I wished Toby away, I knew the stories."

"Somehow, Sarah, that does not surprise me in the least." He said as he finished his drink. He gestured to the waitress. "Just bring the bottle." he ordered. The woman hurried to comply.

She sat the bottle on the table and Jareth stuffed a wad of cash in her hand.

"Sir this is far too much..." she said, her eyes lighting up at the unexpected boon of money.

Jareth waved her off. " Keep it."

She thanked him and hurried off before he could change his mind.

"Feeling generous? " Sarah gave him a wink, knowing he would catch on. And he did. He cracked a pointy toothed smile and chuckled at her joke.

"It seems you bring out the more giving side of my nature once more, love. "

His eyes met hers, and she felt a slight warmth start to grow between them. She couldn't help but to share in the laughter at their humorous verbal sparring.

Finishing off her Guinness, Sarah sipped the whiskey, enjoying the searing heat as it ran down her throat, adding the heat already pooling within her at the way he smiled at her. She had often wondered what it might be like to encounter him again, but this is the last place she expected to find him. "So, aside from toasting those forgotten by trying to drown yourself in a bottle of expensive alcohol, how are you?"

Chuckling, Jareth poured himself another glass of whiskey and sighed. "The same as I was the last time we saw one another I suppose. I still rule the goblins and answer the call of wishers." He replied in an almost depressed voice. "And what about you, Champion of the Labyrinth? How have you and young Toby been?"

Sarah sipped more whiskey before answering. "Good. Toby is 16 and just got his license and Karen is a nervous wreck each time he gets behind the wheel."

Smirking, Jareth tried imagine what the lad looked like now. He hoped he hadn't outgrown his blonde locks as many human children often did. "Good looking lad?"

"Yea he's really popular with the girls at school, even if he is a bit of a nerd." Sarah told him.

"I knew he'd grown into an attractive fellow," Jareth downed the rest of his glass of whiskey, the cold liquid leaving a pleasant warm burning sensation down his throat. "But tell me Sarah, what is a nerd?"

Laughing she wracked her brain trying to think of how to describe such a thing to someone who was not mortal. "Well, a nerd is a person. Often very smart when it comes to book-learning, and obscure entertainment sorts of things, but socially they are a bit...awkward." Frowning slightly, Jareth struggled to grasp such a thing, then shrugged. "And what of you, Sarah? How is the Labyrinth Champion fairing?" he asked, his pale eyes dropped to glance at her left hand, before returning to her face.

She shrugged. "I was married, right after college. Jeff. It lasted 3 years. It was good for two of those. The last year, well nothing really *happened*, we just sort of petered out. Jeff is a good guy, but we wanted different things. He wanted the whole domestic bliss, white picket fence, 2 kids and a dog thing. I didn't. I wanted to see the world and write about my experiences. Find inspiration in places like this. "

Sarah was surprised at the rush of words that spilled out of her. Why was she telling him all of this? Granted, he asked, but still.

"A shame. I can't imagine any man being married to you being the least bit bored. " He replied.

"Yeah, well, apparently you're the only one. " Sarah said, then she took another long drink of the heady alcohol.

"And you?" She asked. Jareth smiled inwardly at the way she stared into her drink as she asked the question, as if unable to look him in the eye and risk finding out... finding out what? That unlike she, he was happily married? "I am blissfully single." Seeing an odd look creep into her eyes, then vanish before he could identify it he continued. "Of course, very few want the role of Goblin Queen since it does involve dealing with goblins. And those that do want it, want it for the wrong reasons." Frowning she toyed with her glass, "What reasons are those?" Jareth sipped his whiskey before replying, admitting the truth of his situation for the first time in a century was painful enough, admitting it to the Champion who spurned him only made it worse. "Simply put, they want the crown and power, not me."

Sarah nodded slowly, a variety of emotions passing over her face too quickly to be deciphered. "All of them?" She asked. Jareth blinked slowly at her for several moments before he shrugged.

Idiots... The thought floated through her mind, unbidden, and Sarah felt her cheeks burn slightly. Where had that come from?

As Sarah scrambled to find something to say, someone started up the jukebox by the bar. The raucous sounds of Gaelic Storm filled the bar. Sarah pushed her glass away. "Wanna get some air?"

"Sounds like women are as much of a pain in the ass Underground as they are Aboveground." She grinned faintly at him as she stood. "I'm included in that."

She waited for him to join her and together they pushed outside. It had gotten a bit chilly and she wrapped her cardigan tighter around her frame. "So how long are you staying?"

Jareth smirked, leaning against the brick wall of the pub that faced the street. "I'm not sure. Why? Got something in mind?"

Sarah shivered, and she wasn't quite sure if it was Jareth's flirting or the cool night breeze that caused it.

"Let's just see where the night takes us, shall we? " Sarah said. She wasn't yet ready to admit to him or herself the feelings of attraction that had always percolated below all the animosity and the hero-villain power balance of their prior meeting.

He pushed himself from the wall and offered his arm to her, which she took.

There were several youths hanging around the streetlamps, being a Friday night.

Something told Sarah she had nothing to worry about, even if she was the type to, which she wasn't. She solved Jareth's Labyrinth after all. After that she had found very little scared her.

She was quite good at taking care of herself.

They strolled down the street, ignoring the young men who eyed them as they passed. One whistled at Sarah, and she promptly yelled, "Bugger off!" over her shoulder.

Jareth would have stopped, but Sarah kept walking, forcing him to keep pace with her. "You mentioned college," Jareth said, hoping to distract from the hooligans and draw more information from her. "What did you study?"

Sarah laughed lightly. "Archaeology. I minored in mythology and folklore. After that night, I couldn't seem to get enough of it."

Jareth grinned at the admission. "Ever been to Ireland before?"

"Nope. First time." Sarah admitted.

Jareth's grin spread even wider. He looked down at her. "Oh, my precious Sarah," he said, unconsciously reverting back to his old pet name for her. "There is so much here for you to see!"

His smile was contagious. Sarah found herself grinning back. "Why Goblin King, are you offering to be my tour guide?" She teased.

"If that is your wish." He whispered as he leaned closer to her, his breath warm against the ear he was whispering in.

His breath washed over her, and Sarah suddenly found it hard to breathe. He smelled like whisky, wild places and danger. Her eyes widened, and she leaned into his warmth with a shiver.

"Cold?" Jareth asked, slipped his hand around her waist.

Sarah had to clear her throat before she could reply. "N-no. I'm fine."

"Excellent," he said briskly. Jareth looked around to ensure that they were not being observed before conjuring a crystal and dropping it to the ground at their feet.

Sarah felt a smothering sensation as her vision went black, only feeling the pressure of his hand wrapped around her wrist. In the time it took to attempt to suck in a breath, she found herself falling backwards, her ass hitting soft grass over hard ground as he let go. "Oops, Sorry. " was all he said as she looked up and glared at him.

He offered his hand, but she ignored it and stood on her own. In the twilight she could barely make out that they were definitely not in town anymore.

" Damn it Jareth, what did you do now?! "

"I thought you wanted to see the sights. " He answered with a shrug.

Sarah dusted dirt and grass off her pants. " You could have asked, or at least warned me. Wait...we aren't Underground, are we? "

"Of course not. We are at Tara." He turned and walked away a few feet. "Have you been yet? "

Sarah looked around, her irritation seeping away. She could see The Stone of Destiny in the distance. "No, it was on the list. It's a bit far for a day trip. Unless you have magic."

She watched as he turned in a circle, arms out. " This dear Champion, is where those who I am here to honor made their last stand."

His eyes glistened slightly as he stared at the mounds. Ghosts of a battle long past rode through his vision.

"They were so few. And so brave in the face of so much fire and iron. They fought with everything they had so we and some of their families could escape to the Underground through the Burrows. They revered nature, and balance. Our peaceful relationship was thousands of years old, and for their devotion they we're snuffed out. So much needless death."

Remembering himself he blinked and turned to look at Sarah who returned his sorrowful countenance. He continued in explanation, "This place was something of an Underground embassy. Trade and traffic flowed freely through here, until the others arrived. It had to be more tightly controlled after that. If the Christians had somehow found a way through...there's no telling what corruption might have spread. So, we evacuated all we could, and left the rest here to die locking the door behind us."

Almost to himself he added, "I thought magic had lost its purchase on this world, until I saw you."

" Jareth..." Sarah whispered, as she blinked away the tears threatening to fall.

As she listened to his tale of that long-ago time, she could feel his sadness and anger in her bones, and she didn't know why. She could also feel something more...magic was pulsing through the ground, in the air it swirled, through her, towards him.

The inhumanness he had been hiding under his barely contained glamour broke and fell from him, whether he was unable or unwilling to hide it here, she didn't know.

When he whirled to face her, he was *him*. Not the playful flirty man from the bar, but the king who first blew into her parents' bedroom on owl's wings. In full armor, black cloak snapping in the gust that rose with his change.

She was not afraid at all but drawn to him. She walked slowly towards him as he watched, his eyes searing into her.

"Sarah."

She didn't know if he had said it out loud or she somehow heard his thoughts.

" Jareth. " She repeated. Louder this time. "Please."

She knew he would not purposely hurt her, but his emotional storm was causing this chaos around them.

She swallowed hard and dared reach out, laying a hand on his arm.

A small arc of magic jolted onto her skin as it contacted his sleeve. Rushing filled her head and for a few seconds she saw it all.

Maybe a score of people with staffs and bows. Their backs pressed against the hill by a much greater force of ruthless hate and steel.

A wounded mother behind them, embracing her crying and screaming child one last time, before passing him to the arms of the Goblin King and him slamming shut the door between them to begin chanting over it. A blaze of green light turned the door to earth, the woman rested her head on the new wall and wailed as she died, a fatal lance wound had pierced her heart.

Just as quickly as it had come, the scene vanished. Though the blood was gone from the grass, she could still feel in deep within the sod. Like a cursed infection, all life sprung from it still mourned the loss. Sarah sunk to her knees under the weight of it. Breathing heavy through the sudden sobs she asked, "What was THAT?

The whirling magical winds began to settle as she attempted to get herself under control and she found herself being enveloped in a pair of strong arms, a dark fall of material surrounding her.

A soft kiss was pressed to her forehead. "Sarah, Sarah, shhh. I'm sorry you got caught up in my...outpouring of grief. That wasn't meant to happen. I've always had to do this alone."

He rocked her gently. After a few moments her crying quieted and her head cleared.

"What happened? How did I see that?" She asked.

She was trembling, so Jareth swept off his cloak and settled it over her shoulders.

Her big green eyes were full of fear as she told him what she had seen when she touched him.

He hugged her tight.

"I cannot explain why you would be channeling my memories. Even right next to me, that shouldn't have happened. I'm sorry if you were frightened. That isn't what a brought you here for. Yet, when we got here, and I saw you standing on the sacred space, you, the one soul who I...I wish I could tell you why, but my emotions took over. I really did just want you to see it with me." He sounded contrite.

Wiping her eyes, Sarah took a deep breath and returned his hug. "You come here every year and relive that moment, alone." It was more of a statement than a question, for she already knew the answer. "Jareth..." She whispered his name softly as she rubbed his back gently. She knew exactly what he was feeling as she had felt it too and she couldn't imagine how hard it must be to come here year after year, no century after century and face this horrible memory. "I'm here Jareth." She assured him even as she continued to sob quietly. "You're not alone this time."

Jareth found himself smiling slightly despite the emotions, including guilt for unintentionally making Sarah face his memories and emotions. "Thank you." He whispered so quietly that she barely heard him. He kissed the top of her head and then rested his on top of hers, continuing to hold and rock her gently. He took comfort in the fact that she was with him, and even when faced with such overwhelming emotions she was still trying to comfort him. She truly was an amazing woman.

They sat there, just holding one another, for a long time, neither speaking a word. Finally, once Sarah managed to stop her tears, she pulled back slightly to look at him. She wasn't surprised to see tear stains on his cheeks, but it was still an odd and slightly disturbing sight. "Jareth who was the woman? The one that handed you the child?" He let her go and turned away, his jaw clenched, and she thought he might be angry for her prying, but then he looked at her and sighed as his expression softened. "If you don't want to talk about it, I understand, I mean it's not like we're extremely close or anything. But if you do want to talk, I'll listen." She told his as she reached over and took his gloved hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze.

His voice was rough, a wrenching sound that made Sarah wish she hadn't asked but made her want the answer all the more. "The woman, was Rosin," he murmured, slow tears sliding over the now sallow cheeks. "She was my wife." Sarah reached to touch him, but he pulled back, his armor creaking, the sound feeling like a rebuke, as if the armor itself was attempting to soothe him. "The child was Taeilin, my son." Watching Jareth as he stood, magic buzzing angrily upon the air, Sarah saw the still fierce wrath inside him at the wound. "What hap..." she started before being cut off with a wave of his hand. "My boy was mortal, as would be expected when born of a mortal. His changing was a week away... he did not survive our world long enough."

Covering her mouth with her hand, Sarah was at a loss for words. What could she say after hearing that. She knew there was nothing she could say or do to ease his pain; a pain he's carried for so long. Standing she approached him slowly. Reaching for him she could feel the static of his magic, raging as out of control as his emotions were. Seeing him like this cut her deeper than the flood of his emotions and memories had.

Taking a chance, she hugged him from behind, gripping his waist tightly as she leaned against him. He tried to pull away, but she refused to let go. "I'm not letting you go, not now." She said to his back. "I know nothing I say or do will take away your pain, but..." she hesitated and bit her lip nervously. "But I have to try Jareth. I can't imagine how hard coming here has been for you. All this time and always alone. You're not alone anymore. Please. Don't shut me out." She kissed his shoulder, hoping he could feel it through his armor. "Let be help you in any way I can."

His body was rigid against hers, as if fighting her very presence. The magic rippled and snapped in the air, licking at her hair and skin, before slowly ebbing away to become a gentle hum, as the harsh tension in him eased. Sagging slightly, Jareth sighed. It galled him to have anyone see him like this. In centuries he had shown no one the level of emotion Sarah had witnessed, and aside from Rosin, she was the one person who had hurt him the most. "It was not my intent to ever share this with anyone, but...thank you for being here."

Slowly, Sarah released her hold on him. Although she was beginning to think that she could hold him forever, she was just glad that she had been able to be here for him this time.

Jareth sighed and took several steps away from Sarah, looking sorrowfully around at the scene of his past anguish. "So much hatred," her murmured. "And so much stupidity. All in the name of religion."

Sarah was starting to take a step toward him when she felt a sharp pain in her leg. She cried out and jumped back, looking around for the source of the pain and the blood that she could feel trickling down her calf.

At her cry Jareth whipped around. After a moment of confusion, he was horrified to see a snake disappearing down a hole just beyond Sarah. Before he could react, Sarah crashed to the ground, shaking.

"Sarah!" He threw himself through the space between them, landing on the dew drenched ground next to her. He slipped his arms under her shoulders and lifted her into his lap, trying to ease her tremors.

"What- what happened?" Sarah stuttered through her shaking.

"You were bitten," Jareth snarled in anger. "By a snake."

"But there's no- no snakes... in... Ireland. "

Jareth swung her completely into his arms. "No, there aren't." He said grimly.

Sarah frowned as the world seemed to swim around her, fading to gray. The last thing she heard was Jareth cursing in a language she couldn't understand.

A/N: A list of authors who collaborated on this story is available on the profile section.